IHIGH LINKS

Bucks qualify for playoffs

PLANTATION – South Plantation found itself hosting a three-way tiebreaker it didn't want to be in Monday night due to an upset loss to Deerfield Beach three nights earlier.

Forced to play the Bucks again – this time for just one quarter with the District 11-8A title on the line for both teams – the Paladins exacted revenge.

Zackary Leatherman kicked a 31-yard field goal on the first possession of overtime, Hordley Seide then blocked Kris Rosales' 22-yard attempt and South Plantation prevailed 3-0 at home to capture its first district title since 2005.

"I was more anxious than nervous," Leatherman said of his field goal. "I was looking forward to it. I knew what I had to do for my team [with the game] on the line, so I just stuck to my fundamentals, and good outcome."

Deerfield Beach, which beat Taravella 7-0 in overtime in the first matchup of the night, still wrapped up a playoff spot as district runner-up. Taravella would have played South Plantation one quarter for the runner-up spot had Deerfield beaten South Plantation again. The Bucks won 21-14 at home Friday.

"We wanted revenge real bad, and we wanted them, not Taravella," Leatherman said. "When we got them, we knew we were going to stick it to them. They played a great game. We played a great game and it came down to special teams."

Rosales missed a 26-yard field goal wide left at the end of regulation. He had another game-winning attempt, a 52-yarder against Taravella, blocked. Both were kicked with nine seconds left.

Deerfield Beach assured itself of a playoff berth against Taravella in overtime, when both teams got one possession from the 10-yard line. Brandon Powell rushed for a touchdown on the Bucks' first play – one of his eight carries for 86 yards.

Taravella's Davory McKoy was on the verge of scoring the tying touchdown on second down from the 10, but Deerfield Beach's LaJavaius Thompson crushed McKoy as the tight end tried to secure the catch in the end zone. The ball popped up into the air, and Justin Morgan snatched the interception.

"We needed that big win for the playoffs, so I had to do what I had to do to make it happen," Thompson said of his hit.